| Fort Boykin is an 18-acre site located five miles northeast of Smithfield, Va. It has been a part of American history since 1623 when a fort known as the Castle was constructed to protect the Jamestown colonists from Native Americans and raiding Spaniards. Atop a 30-foot bluff, the site’s commanding view makes it a keen observation point on the James River.
Although rebuilt, renamed and involved in historic naval activities of the James River and Chesapeake Bay since the 17th century, Fort Boykin remains essentially intact as a well-preserved example of military architecture of the Civil War era.
The story of Fort Boykin is an evolution of the connectedness of people and the Chesapeake Bay, and today it tells that story in its current state as a recreational park and historic site. |
